[BlackPearl]

Bhpian StallionAmit and I were contacted by Mr. Satyam from Tata Motors for a meet and test drive session of the newly launched Tata Hexa. It started as a general discussion on what type of meet can be arranged and what are the expectations from such a meet. After a few rounds of discussion, it was decided to involve a few people to get feedback about the vehicle. It would be an on-road driving session only as the AWD vehicles were not available at that point of time. However, it was mentioned that going forward every effort will be made to arrange for an off-roading session with the Hexa.
So on a Sunday morning, a bunch of auto enthusiasts met in front of TC Motors at Newtown, Kolkata, to test drive the Hexa.



We were cordially greeted by Mr. Satyam and the manager of TC Motors. After the initial round of registration and introduction session, the team went over to the adjacent Pipal Tree Hotel for breakfast. The spread was superb and being a foodie I could continue discussion on it for quite sometime. But that was not the highlight of the meet. So will jump on to the test drive session. Before that, a few pictures.



















There were three Hexas at the showroom out of which one was for showcase only. The other two were available for test drives, the models being XT 4x2 and XTA. The ladies were given the first opportunity to go for a spin with the XT. Two of the ladies are current Thar owners and their feedbacks about Hexa were very different. One was overwhelemd with the comfort while the other was quite skeptical about the sluggish response in first gear compared to the Thar. Since a Thar was readily available for a quick comparison, we found that the Thar is faster off the block than the Hexa, but after 60 kmph, the Hexa surges ahead. But the problem or advantage, however one looks at it, is that the vehcile masks the speed. So it feels a lot slower than it actually is.







We got to drive both the XT and XTA models extensively. I had driven the XT earlier and had loved it. It was no different this time. But the automatic Hexa was a revelation, specially in the sports mode. Enthusiasts are usually a bit apprehensive about automatics, but the XTA bought a smile on whoever drove it. There is a Team-Bhp official review on Hexa, so will not get into much details. The link is here http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/offici...al-review.html. However I would like to mention the following points -


About Hexa -

Pros
1. Great build quality, vehicle feels solid and safe
2. The ride quality is better than any SUV/MUV that I have driven in this price range
3. Body roll is there but it is much more controlled than similar sized vehicles
4. The dynamics are spot on, it is very difficult to unsettle the vehicle even during high speed maneuvers
5. The stock music system is the best that I have heard in a vehicle this side of 30 lacs
6. Better ground clearance, approach and departure angles compared to XUV and Innova

Cons
1. It is sluggish off the block in first gear. (The automatic is better in this respect)
2. The clutch takes a bit of time to get used to
3. The 19 inch wheels look good, but aftermarket tyres will be very hard to find and expensive
4. In sports mode, the engine sound in the automatic was intruding into the cabin a lot



About the event -

Pros
1. It was an informal meet, but still the arrangements were meticulous
2. The people were cordial, knowledgeable and patient
3. We could spend a lot of time with the vehicles. In fact this was the most extensive test drive that I have ever done in any vehicle

Cons
Honestly speaking, could not find any

I would request others to pitch in with their feedback, pics and videos.

Pics of the vehicles -












Special thanks to Mr. Satyam and all those who attended the event. The list of attendees -

Amit (StallionAmit)
Rishi (Cloudmobile_deb)
Pawan (PapaBravo)
Partha (psurelia)
Navtej (Navsjab)
Andy (adg_andy)
Swapnil (Swapnil_Alto)
Rajsri (Teesta)
Sumitro (BlackPearl)
Subhro (tacho9000)
Suneel (ALTIMAed)
Bodhi (Bodhi25)
Rajarshi (Rajarshi)
Anish
Bhavneet
Meghna
Anirban
Biswadeep
Dr. Sen
Dr. Sabyasachi
Shaswat
Atish
Samaresh
Joy
JD

Mr. Satyam and yours truly

[dailydriver]

Your short drive once again confirms what our own reviewers and enthusiasts have been saying all along, especially with reference to the automatic variant.

Great initiative by TC Motors. Tata should try to replicate this in more places. As has been discussed in the Official review thread, these drives/experiences have largely been limited to big cities and metros.

Tata has manufactured a good product. But good products too need to be promoted aggressively in order to sell in large numbers.

Looking at the list of participants, it is evident that this was almost a mini team-bhp meet. Other Bhpians who were present that day may kindly share their experiences too.

[su_spatil]

Originally Posted by ecosport rules

Guys,need information about the wireless mobile charger for Hexa.
Heard it is available as an accessory.

Thanks

It seems that the arm rest has to be removed to install the charger. I think we cannot sacrifice the arm rest for something which has other alternatives. There are sufficient USB points for charging.

The infotainment system mirrors navigation from the phone. To do this the phone connects using ConnectNext, which AFAIK is available only for android phones. I could not find the app on the Apple store nor any other way to connect an iPhone to the infotainment system, although the sales guy says we can connect them. Has anyone been able to use an iPhone?

[ALTIMAed]

My personal choice is an AT over MT. Having driven ATs since 2006 abroad, I cannot see myself getting adjusted to a stick shift. After repatriating back to India, I got myself a Dzire AMT. I have driven practically the entire range of ATs that Nissan has to offer and recently drove the Vento DSG. Must honestly admit, I was really impressed with the Hexa AT. Gear shifts are smooth (unlike my Dzire AMT), upshift and downshifts predictable, very well matched with the engine. The acceleration too is impressive. Internal space, fit and finish are top notch. On a really rough patch of road, the suspension took the abuse with devoid of any unexpected suspension sound.

Bhpian Atish, Samaresh, Shubro and Andy were with me in the AT variant test drive. no matter how hard we tried to unsettle the vehicle, it stuck to its line. I could not feel any vibrations inside the vehicle, others may comment on this.

I did find the steering hard at a U turn, though at high speed, it weighed up nicely. The feel of the steering wheel is really commendable.

Tata has a winner in the Hexa.

[itwasntme]

Saw a couple of brand-new ones on BLR today. I initially mistook it for a Mercedes M class so good it looked especially in dark blue.

Seriously impressive exterior looks and high quality too. But it is BIG!

[ashis89]

I must have seen atleast 15 Hexas (excluding TD vehicles) over the past 1 month in all different colors. It looks huge and is very long. The only vehicle that gave a similar impression till now was the GL-class. I saw one from my balcony (~150 m away from road) and those wheels give a character to the vehicle. I also noticed that all the cars I saw were top models (XT/XTA).

[roby_dk]

Originally Posted by ashis89

I must have seen atleast 15 Hexas (excluding TD vehicles) over the past 1 month in all different colors. It looks huge and is very long. The only vehicle that gave a similar impression till now was the GL-class. I saw one from my balcony (~150 m away from road) and those wheels give a character to the vehicle. I also noticed that all the cars I saw were top models (XT/XTA).

True. Hexa definitely looks big if we compare it with Crysta or XUV.

What about Hexa vs Endeavour, did anyone tried comparing sheer looks of these two cars? Just wanted to know how it will look from rear, front and side in comparison to Endeavour.

[m8002?]

Originally Posted by itwasntme

Seriously impressive exterior looks and high quality too. But it is BIG!

I was seriously considering the Hexa. But given its size, I cannot squeeze it into my apartment parking lot.

[theexperthand]

Originally Posted by m8002?

I was seriously considering the Hexa. But given its size, I cannot squeeze it into my apartment parking lot.

Please try it first, if you haven't. I am sure the SA will oblige for a TD at your home so that you can try it.

--Anoop

[nareshtrao]

Originally Posted by m8002?

I was seriously considering the Hexa. But given its size, I cannot squeeze it into my apartment parking lot.

Originally Posted by theexperthand

Please try it first, if you haven't. I am sure the SA will oblige for a TD at your home so that you can try it.

Don't give up on a nice vehicle you like without trying the parking lot. I did the same for the Endeavour as I was very skeptical if it would fit given the cramped basement of our very old apartment complex. I got the Test Drive vehicle home specifically for that purpose. Once that was sorted, rest was an easy decision. I am sure Tata dealers would be happy to oblige.

[m8002?]

I already tried with the Innova and it was very tough. Had to do multiple back and forth to put it in. On top of that, there are two "acute" angled turns on the exit. Something like "Z". Same problem there too.

The Hexa is another 3-4 inches wider than Innova and I dont think I can do that everytime. Maybe will give it a try just for the heck of it.

[rkg]

Originally Posted by m8002?

The Hexa is another 3-4 inches wider than Innova and I dont think I can do that everytime. Maybe will give it a try just for the heck of it.

Hexa - 4788 mm
Cryata - 4735 mm

2" difference

[RavenAvi]

My good friend Ashok took delivery of his Hexa XTA 4x2 6-seater yesterday from Concorde Motors, Pune.

OTR came to Rs 21,68,813/-.

He exchanged his older 1.1 lakh kms run 2012 model Aria Pride 4x4 and received 5 lakh rupees from the dealer for it.

[m8002?]

Originally Posted by rkg

Hexa - 4788 mm
Cryata - 4735 mm

2" difference

Thats the length. I was referring to the width.
Hexa width : 1905mm
Crysta width : 1830 mm

It becomes difficult to manoeuvre the car in tight turns.

[riteshritesh]

Originally Posted by RavenAvi

He exchanged his older 1.1 lakh kms run 2012 model Aria Pride 4x4 and received 5 lakh rupees from the dealer for it.

That's a very good deal. My 2010 Innova 2.5V 8 seater 85000 kms is fetching me 6.5 Lakhs ( as per OBV Droom). So much for the great resale value myth of the Innova.